Envisioning healthcare for the 21st century

Help turn VA into one of America’s most advanced medical systems. – VA

Secretary McDonald has initiated “12 breakthrough priorities” as the near term focus for modernizing VA. Try this on for size. By the end of this year, the Department of Veterans Affairs plans to transform the Office of Information and Technology and implement a “holistic Veteran data management strategy.” In business terms, that tech speak translates into “seamless care.”

It means that any Veteran can simply walk into any of our facilities and get care. Soon thereafter, personnel at the facility can immediately call up patients’ data on the screen, regardless of geography or the kind of facility. “Our goal is to make sure…that our systems recognize you as a veteran. You should be able to get care wherever you walk in to get care,” said Dr. David Shulkin, VA’s undersecretary for health. This Electronic Health Management Platform will integrate all records from all providers across the entire VA network.

Health care executives can probably appreciate the enormity of this task. Matching Electronic Health Records (EHRs) with the right patient is still a challenge for the private sector. According to a recent article in Modern Healthcare, error rates can be as high as 50 percent. And remember, most hospital systems are a fraction of the size of VA’s 152 medical centers, the largest integrated health care system in the United States.

Consequently, VA gives you the opportunity to manage health care on the leading edge, where vast amounts of changing information empower your direct providers to make good decisions. Isn’t that why you got into health care management in the first place?

There are a lot of opportunities available at VA – and not just in the health care field. This is a significant IT challenge, and VA has additional information technology goals to tackle as well. Regardless of your profession, take an opportunity to research your job options and Join VA.